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â€" _ Can YOU the house league and allâ€"star levels. Even if it is only on a partâ€"time basis, Puncher enâ€" courages volunteers to come out and offer what they can to the kids. ; **There might be an exâ€"ballplayer who was a pitcher and could teach the fundamentals of pitching to the kids. Or if he was a good hitter, naturally his forte would be batting instruction. &4 *"*What we need are qualified eager people, even with the littlest bit of knowledge about the game."‘ timist midget allâ€"stars for the past four years. Along with coâ€"coach Jerry Scharlach, Puncher has reined the Optimists to the 1975 allâ€"Ontario championship and the midget Interâ€"County title last season. Learning how to coach will be no problem for volunâ€" teers, since the association is constantly putting on clinics and staging informal rap sestions for every facet of the game. ‘‘*Between the existing people we have in our system and the specialists we have access to, a newcomer would have no problem picking up the basics," said Puncher. With such an age variation in the different divisions, Puncher says it is important that the association help the volunteer identify which age group he is best suitâ€" ed for. ~ . By Rick Campbell ‘‘*Fun means learning how to play." * On their own, those words might not mean too much, but they take on great significance when you realize they come from the mouth of one of the most successful coaches in the Waterloo Minor Baseball This is the second in a series on volunteer informaâ€" tion for the Waterloo Minor Baseball Association. Today the coaching job is discussed. In a recent conversation, Puncher expressed conâ€" cern over the need for coaches in the WMBA, both at The greatest demand for persons to coach is at the 9â€"12 yearâ€"old level, which annually has the highest registration. This year registration takes place March 3 and 10 and coaches can volunteer their services ‘‘*Someone who may be frustrated with 13â€"yearâ€"olds could be perfect for the younger kids. If a guy comes up to us and says he loves working with kids eight to 10, we just love that." "It‘s really like raising children, the kids have difâ€" ferent attitudes and you have to recognize this. _ . Puncher said children are most vulnerable at the younger ages, and that it is important to realize that they play to have fun. _ â€" _ _ ‘‘Kids at that age are inquisitive, eager, enthusiasâ€" tic and ambitious. But they want to learn the game properly, the way they see their idols play the sport on television, and the coach must recognize that fact and channel those energies in positive directions. Puncher said that it is okay to just ‘"let the kids play their own game‘" to a certain extent, but that coaching plays an integral part in helping the players to mainâ€" tain interest. House league coaches might only have to devote two hours a week (minimally) to the game, since most of the instruction can be taught during the contest. More dedicated house league coaches often gather their team together one night a week for practice or vocal instruction, in addition to their games. Allâ€"star coaching, of course, involves more time. There has been very little changeover in the WMBA coaching ranks for the past four years, according to Puncher, and he says this indicates that the volunâ€" teers genuinely enjoy their work and find it extremely rewarding. And he, if anyone, should know. ‘‘*We had a player on our midget team two years ago, a first year player who couldn‘t hit the ball 10% of the time.,‘" Puncher related. "Jerry and I worked and worked and worked with him for two years. The kid was very dedicated, which really helped. ‘‘Kids are eager to begin playing but frustration rapidly sets in if they are unable to compete with their friends or fail to realize the goals they have set for themselves." There are no set age restrictions for volunteers who wish to coach, but the 36â€"yearâ€"old Puncher indicated that maturity is a prime factor. ‘‘Well, to make a long story short, we were in the Inâ€" terâ€"County finals against Brantford in the fifth game of a bestâ€"ofâ€"five this year. We were losing 8â€"5 going into the bottom of the ninth. ‘‘We managed to push one run across, and had the bases loaded with two out, and guess who should come up. I called time and told him to take his time and look for his pitch, not to swing at anything bad. ‘‘*So what does he do? Hits a clean single to right field and drives in three runs." "Words can‘t describe how a coach feels after soâ€" mething like that."‘ Paul Puncher has been coach of the Waterloo Opâ€" Next: the organization. help? Rick Campbell â€" : The seed was planted in grade seven. The roots grew for four years. And the flower of hatred blossomed in grade 12. I‘m talking about my love, or to be more precise lack of love for the game of basketbail. > » * You see, basketball is a game meant to be played by the agile and quickâ€"thinking. * I am neither. > A I played my first game of organized basketball in grade seven. Made a 31â€"foot jumper 30 seconds into the game and never touched the ball thereafter. . From grade eight through 11 I grew about 1% inches every year, and became 12% less coordinated at the same time. Never has someone travelledâ€"so much, double dribbled for so many, and airâ€"balled so often for so few physed marks. By grade 12, 1 By grade 12, my final year of physed, I was so disilluâ€" sioned with the game, and my inability to play it, that I conâ€" templated jump shooting myself. _ f It didn‘t help when in class one day I overheard one guy say to the appointed captain ‘"pick Campbell next â€" he stinks but he‘s such a beanpole at least he‘ll get us the jump balls." My roundball career came to a designated halt that very day. Once I decided that reporting was my game, I covered university ball for three years and even got in the last two seasons of high school ball, one with the Record and last year with the Chronicle. 5 & But through it all, bad memories of my own high school days prevented me from working up any enthusiasm for the game. Pro games on television were even worse, except for the odd playoff game, so I didn‘t really have anywhere to go to acquire a taste for the game. Well, I‘m not sure how it happened, but this year has been different. Much different. And although the universities have put on quite a show, I know who‘s to blame for me sudâ€" denly loving the sport. > It‘s those damn high schools. . Throughout the regular season, there were the good games, the very good games, and the occasional bummer. But as the season wound down, the performances became incredible. Waterloo Vikings just barely losing to St. Jerome‘s. Vikings over Cameron. Bluevale on top until the final game. Eastwood over Bluevale in overtime. KCI shootâ€" ing from downtown against Waterloo. Eastwood edging KCI in the final 10 seconds. And then came the playoff series. KCI and Bluevale. Game one, Jarrett at the buzzer to tie. Urosevic at the OT buzzer to give KCI the win. Then game two, Jarrett and da Silva show. Game three, Hannah with the direct line to the basket and it‘s KCI in the finals against St. Jerome‘s. Before Somebody Tries To Oversell You On An Expensive Brake Job â€" SEE US‘ FIRST! F THE RUNAROUND â€"â€"â€"â€"STOPS HERE! FOR A BETTER SERVICE DEAL CALL AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE m omm â€" 70 WESTMOUNT RD. N. â€" _ o l D n .S. IF YOU NEED BRAKE WORK, THE INSPECTION IS FREE! se . * 70 WESTMOUNT RD. N WATERLOO ‘""Let Us Drive You To The Office‘"‘ Beside Westmount Place Shopping Centre a@ae0P ® ap fl'_fl'.; ~\ _ â€"886â€"2120 ’--‘ I don‘t know about anyone else, but after the past five weeks of high school basketball I‘m emotionally drained. I don‘t know whether I can take the final series. Every game recently I‘ve found myself on the edge of my seat, hands sweating, neryously tapping pen on binder. I tell ‘you, the kids in this city have treated us to great basketball. They are a credit to their school. . And so are the coaches. I‘ve never met a finer group of people to talk to. There‘s John Zdrahal â€"at WCI, or Waterloo State as he calls it, giving answers to my questions about as straight as Jean Chretien in the House of Commons. That‘s okay, Big Zee said Bluevale would win over KCI by double figures. i}nlest two beers I‘ve ever won. At KCI, there‘s Jim Saddler, who I just met recently but who answers all questions genuinely and with the attention of someone who really cares. Can‘t forget Bob Hannah either, who is Mr. Inspiration to the Raiders in all their key The Twin City schools might fight tooth and nail to win the title. But through it all, they‘re all one team, a big happy family advertising a helluva product. I love big happy families. â€" C Over at Bluevale there‘s George Hunsberger. You know, it‘s impossible to tell at game‘s end whether the Knights have won of lost, this man is so cool and down to earth. Like the others, Hunsberger puts his team first, as does assistant Jim Baird, and together they molded Knights into one of the most exciting teams in the City, and province, this year. It was just about 15 minutes after his team was ousted by KCI that I sat with Hunsberger in the change room. Right off the top the personable Bluevale boss said something that hit home, and made me realize why I have so suddenly come to like this high school basketball game. ‘"You know, if I had to lose to someone,"" he said, "Jim Saddler is the finest guy you could find."‘ At that moment, it came to me. And Give You A Written Report On Their Condition WE WILL INSPECT â€" CLEAN â€" ADJUST ALL YOUR BRAKES Got the blues? Want to get away from it all? 0_ â€"_ â€" ( Take a walk! __.__-_S Walk a block.Today. 21, 1979 â€" Page 156 Gary Voigt &